Instinctoy

Toy producers and retailers from Japan Instinctoy, featuring products such as King Korpse, Muckey, Vincent and Erosion Molly.

www.instinctoy.com/

RYCA

Ryan Callanan is an artist working in contemporary printmaking and graphics. Already a prominent artist on the Street Art scene, the last three years have seen Ryan move away from this aesthetic towards a new practice that draws upon his in-depth knowledge of materials and craftsmanship acquired through his training in industrial model making and 3-D design.

From the starting point of the emblematic visual sign, Ryan began a series of works using the smiley face synonymous with acid house rave culture in the 1980s. Working in bas-relief, this iconic motif was recontextualised by rendering it in material and style usually associated with traditional pub signs - gold inlay and black lacquered background. This highly technical skill obtained and finessed through Ryan’s parallel career in the sign making industry.

This lead to a series of works in this visual style of the subverted pub sign, playing with further motifs such as the Cherry and the Watermelon of a fruit machine, again their meaning sent array using this simple visual pun. Ryan chose symbols to begin with as a means to accessibility, this is art that everyone can enjoy and understand the reference point. This is a common theme that has run throughout his practice, which has seen him draw upon a broad spectrum of contemporary popular culture, including film, music and art history in work that is often refreshingly comic and accessible.

From symbols Ryan progressed this visual aesthetic onto text, using colloquial words or phrases such as ‘fanfuckintastic’ or quotes from song lyrics that were personally significant, such as 90s hip hop and rap, all in an appropriate pub style font. Important to all Ryan’s work to date is this concept of the cross reference: taking one item out of its context and splicing it with another to create something that feels familiar but whose meaning is subtly shifted. This is used to great effect by Ryan’s use of the pub sign style, something so atmospherically nostalgic and locked in the collective British psyche it becomes an unconsciously absorbed reference point against which the words or symbols can react.

Ryan continues to progress his artistic practice and is working on new projects with song lyrics as well as numerous public commissions.

Turtle Studio

Grego Fernandez is an artist based in Spain who creates aesthetic toys under the label Turtle Studio.

CometDebris

www.cometdebris.com

Zukaty

Portuguese dude living in the UK, rocking out customs and resin figures.

Doom Mutants

Bristol based Artist/Toy maker with a twisted sense of childhood innocence.

1000 Toys

1000toys (pronounced ‘Sen Toys’) is an independent art-toy brand started in 2012 to show the world the excellence of Japanese creativity.Along with renown Japanese creators such as Tsutomu Nihei, a manga artist who has earned world-wide recognition through his unique styled SF manga series ‘BLAME!’, ‘Biomega’ and the recent ‘Knights of Sidonia’, 1000toys has started the ‘TOA HEAVY INDUSTRIES’ brand with the ‘TOA HEAVY INDUSTRIES 1/6 Synthetic Human’ as its first line-up in 2014.For a diverse line-up which has never before seen in the industry, 1000toys is also working in conjunction with multiple Japanese creators to build up a new world of art toy.

1000toys will keep on providing high-quality art toys worldwide, so be sure to keep an eye on us!

www.1000toys.jp

The Toy Chronicle

The Toy Chronicle is the brain child of six enthusiasts of the toy/vinyl scene. Six enthusiasts that felt there was something missing in the UK toy scene that would bring joy to the masses. Those masses are the very people reading this blog post.

We are looking to get in to the minds of artists, the minds of collectors and put it all together in one place for you to visit, for you to fill your own mind with this beautiful information.

That beautiful information starts right here, today. Whilst we are still in our infancy, we’re looking to ramp up our posts, our reviews, our interviews, our news. All to ensure that you get what you need. If you need something shout.

Wire.Wolf

Paul Devine (Wire.Wolf) and Ian Hancox (Chief Creations) have been long time friends who met through there love of art, They both enjoy creating using inspiration from mythology, anime and pop culture. Ian after collecting his whole life decided 4 years ago to start customising vinyl and is now well known for his impressive patience with his scale by scale or hair by hair customs and baby yoki scratch sculpts. Paul has been sculpting for a little over 5 years after finding sculpting the perfect way to unleash the madness that lived inside his head, he's known for his detailed sculpting style, pop culture customs an strange creatures sculpts. Both live and breath art and create when ever work and life allow it!

IG: @wire.wolf

Dolly Oblong

Dolly Oblong is a family run creative character design toko based in Rotterdam (the Netherlands). “Toko” refers to our pan-Asian roots and obsession with anything food related.

The main recipe behind all Dolly designs is keeping it simple with a twist. On the menu for Toy Con 2017: a fresh batch of resin toys, plush, pins, stickers, and some Dairobo-Z goodies.

www.dollyoblong.com

Ko-Re Ko-Re

Ko-Re Ko-Re was established on the concept that buying quality Japanese collectibles in London and the United Kingdom is not an easy proposition. As collectors ourselves, we have used our knowledge and connections to help source goods from Japan and place them in shops around the country. We are continuously updating our products and expanding our network.

www.ko-reko-re.com

Beasts of the Unknown

The Beasts of the Unknown are critters that live in the uninhabited spaces of our world. They are magical beings occupying the hidden nooks and crannies everywhere, from forests to cities.

http://sarahlumenheine.com/

David Stevenson

I am an artist who works both on both designer vinyl toys and traditional canvas.

The inspiration for my work comes from a huge number of sources. Some are social comments on the human condition and how we as people interact, treat each other, as well as the habits we all follow.

I also take a lot of inspiration from the many forms of pop culture both past and present, such as music, film and graphic novels.

Living in London means I have learnt to become a sponge at times. As there are so many different cultural aspects, it can be such an inspiring place to work and live as an artist.

My style of work usually incorporates crisp, bold colours with intricate line work. I'm becoming most known for my jungle and flower themed customs as i take a lot inspiration from nature and the weird and wonderful creatures that still inhabit the ever shrinking jungles and forests of our world. with this in mind i am also trying to evolve these themes.

Unbox Industries

Based in the UK, Serbia & Hong Kong Unbox Industries is known in the production trade as one of the go to teams for prototype sculpting, design and development. In recent years Unbox has had the privilege of self producing a diverse array of toys for friends and artists under it’s own label.

www.unboxindustries.info

Trap Toys

Pickled Circus

Roll up! Roll up! Ladies and gents to a most spooktacular circus.

Showcasing a wondrous menagerie of misfits, monsters and marvels created by artist Matthew Roby.

Hinatique

Kaori Hinata is a Japanese Artist, Illustrator and Character Designer. The overarching theme of her creative works is "The Cuteness of antiques and Nostalgia”. She loves drawing pictures, live painting and making Knick Knacks in felt, ceramics and other materials.

Kaori’s first toy release was Kaiju Kinora - a cute little mushroom monster produced by Max Toy in 2015. Kaori continues to produce resin figures which she sculpts and paints herself. Her newest original character is called "Morris - The Cat with Antlers". Morris is a cat boy - but he is different from the average cat because he has big antlers on his head. “Morris” has proved to be a very popular character and will be released as a sofubi figure this fall. Additionally the character will be featured in the Medicom’s VAG (Vinyl Artist Gatcha) Series 12 and has been featured in mini picture book also released by Medicom.

Her work has been featured in many exhibitions in Japan, and recently had a show in Taiwan at the Wrong Gallery with Teresa Chiba and Hikari Bambi. In addition to her own original characters, Kaori has produced collaborations with many popular properties including STAR WARS, ULTRAMAN, MAZINGER-Z, GACHAPIN & MUKKU and THE POWERPUFF GIRLS.

Stay tuned to Hinatique’s Social Media channels for news and updates of future projects and events.

Website : http://hinatique.pupu.jp/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/kaorihinata

Twitter : https://twitter.com/hinatique

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/hinatique/

Mike Strick

Mike Stick's diverse collection of detailed sci-fi inspired figured will open your eyes to new worlds.

www.sculpt.strick.co.uk/

Muju World

Mujuworld is an imaginary dimension filled with organic landscapes, inhabited by guardian spirits and elemental forces. These characters come to life through drawings, prints, paintings and Ltd editions of resin sculptures.

You can discover more of this world here: www.mujuworld.co.uk

Okkle

Okkle is a UK based artist, animator and games designer. Taking inspiration from nature, wildlife, video games and good old fashioned myths and monsters to create brightly coloured curiosities in his spare time. 8 out of 10 otters prefer it! Ocelot Approved.

www.okkle.co.uk

Pock! Toys

Pock! Toys is a new start up online store based in Thailand and UK. We specialize in Designer toys from around the world if you are looking for something different you can check out our store. We have lots of exciting exclusive for all you collector to own at Toycon UK.

This year we are representing the Art Toys Thailand community with over 30+ artists will be making their debut work to the UK and European audiences bringing the essences of Thailand art toys scene, some will be weird, wacky and you won't understand what it is but you want to own one for yourself!.

A world whose inhabitants go robotically about their daily routine, playing out their part in a mimicked society modeled on a flimsy perception of an ideal world.

Every aspect of our own lives are reflected and filtered through the robot’s ill informed perception of what they are expected to be. Social hierarchy played out as theatre and consumer trends reflected as crippling exercises in vanity or peer pressure.

When machines try and duplicate our world the nonsense of the everyday is plain.

The Doktor’s work is an investigation of artifice.

From the physical actuality of pieces that look like complex automata, but are incapable of movement. Through the simulation of materials from other mediums. To the wider psychological and sociological constructs of what constitutes a person’s character and place in society.

Even the artist’s name is artificial.

Nothing is what it seems.

Having exhibited for the last eight years in gallery shows set as far a field as Los Angeles and Hong Kong, the Doktor’s works have found homes in high profile private art collections around the world and new pieces are keenly anticipated. His characters have also reached a wider audience through the medium of toys. Short run collectible figures take on the role of three dimensional art prints, with more rare editions being highly sought after.

Trained as an Industrial Modelmaker, Bruce has worked in many fields of the advertising and entertainment industry. A period of time working as a “blue-sky” concept designer with a leading UK toy development company, linked with his eight years as a gallery owner have combined to make him the unique artist he is today. Unlike many other artists in the “art-toy” world the Doktor is a toy maker turned artist. Rather than the more usual artist turned toy maker.

ZaZa Toy Box

Japan inspired quirky and fun collectible toys from new brand in Hokkaido.

www.zazatoybox.com

Vuitbits

Sergio Gallegos was born in Santa Coloma de Gramenet (Barcelona, pain). He studied design in Barcelona and were consumed was working as art director on shorts and music videos. In this environment he developed his creativity within the film set, changing the digital pen tablet, nails and paints.

After recreating spaces and tangible objects to the stage, Sergio crossed the screen to go to the other side, coming to work in one of the related video post production in their country.

Currently works as a video editor in Lastcrit (Barcelona)

His relationship with the ArtToys started a few years ago, first as a collector and then as a producer. Vuitbits developing the brand, Sergio works his toys from an aesthetic of the most classic games, leading the pixel to the three dimensions. A pixel hyper vitaminado that has forgotten the plane to appear in cube form.

Jaykblu

https://www.facebook.com/Jaykblu/

Tim Clarke Toys

Tim Clarke Master Toy Designer "King of Gross"

For over 30 years Tim has been Inventing, Designing and Sculpting some of the most unusual toys to ever be marketed in the US and abroad. Once known as the "King of Gross" after co-creating in the 80's Sectaurs (Coleco) and Boglins (Mattel). Tim now launches his new line of horribleness the "TOTIMS"

I love creating my own mythology. The world is filled with modern day mythological creatures you can find them in every nook and cranny of your bedroom closet.

Tim Started his career designing and building puppets for the Muppets. Most notable were the Mystics and the Slaves that he sculpted and designed for the movie the Dark Crystal guided by the incredible drawings of Brian Froud. He also worked on puppets for Sesame Street , Muppet Show and Fraggle Rock for which he created Traveling Matt. After Dark Crystal was launched he garnered his first toy sculpting gig with Hasbro creating the Garthim, Mystics and Lanstrider toys.

He has also created toys for Melissa and Doug toys, EK Success, Hasbro, Mattel, Coleco, Kenner, Ideal Lossirs, to mention just a few.

www.totims.com

Yasu

Yasu is prolific japanese artist, illustrator, character and product designer from Nagoya Japan.

Yasu is a veteran of the Tokyo Design Festa show having exhibited there many times under her brand name "Yorozu zakka Ebineko-ya" <Ebineko Character Goods Company>.

Yasu’s original character designs come alive in a wide variety of media including plush, resin, soft vinyl, drawings, paintings, messaging stickers, and more! Her trademark character is “Ebineko” - a half cat and half shrimp character that seems to have gotten himself into some tempura batter at some point. “Ebineko” was released as a soft vinyl toy earlier this year - Yasu sculpted the figure herself and painstakingly hand-paints every release. Her figure line-up has recently expanded featuring several new soft vinyl figures; “Same” - the three eyed shark, “Yamorin” - the Gekko Dragon plus a cute mini version of “Ebineko” with more on the way.

She exhibited at the Taipei Toy Festival last year and did a live painting performance. She will be having a show in Shanghai in October with fellow artists Teresa Chiba, Hikari Bambi and Hinatique.

Website : http://yasuty.fc2web.com/plus/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/yasu_ebineko

Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/yasu.ebinekoya/

Twitter : https://twitter.com/yasu_ebineko

STKL Toy

StickUp Monsters

Javier Jiménez is a self-taught illustrator and character designer based in Granada. His style is influenced by kaiju movies, toys, classic cartoons, urban and Japanese culture and hip hop. For most of his digital works he relies on vectors, giving a clean and eye-catching vibe to his illustrations.

Through his original characters and his toy line StickUp Monsters, he mixes the urban and the traditional folklore from different cultures, giving birth to unique creatures with their own crazy stories. Javier started working as a freelance artist back in 2011, when he realized that creating was his calling. Since then, he has been working for different clients and brands while working on his own personal projects too.

Atomic Toys

Collect and Display

We initially discovered some Kidrobot blind boxes whilst out in London and this quickly became an obsession. The obsession was becoming fairly difficult to fulfil with a lack of supply in the UK so we started Collect and Display as somewhat of a hobby alongside our full time work commitments.

When we started the company all we knew was Kidrobot and that was our main focus but then we started to discover all kinds of varieties of these designer art toys. We quickly began stocking a whole range of great products and selling out. As each year has gone by we have continuously progressed with the products that we stock and the level of service that we provide. We have introduced a monthly customs series in recent years in which we work closely with 12 artists, some well known and some up and coming. This has been a huge success for both our store and the artists involved.

In the present day this little hobby is now our full time job and we are very thankful to all the artists and customers who have made this happen.

Our aim is to continue doing what we do - supplying toy goodness all over the globe.

Sorbet Jungle

Deanne George is the founder and lead designer behind the wildly popular U.S. based brand, Sorbet Jungle.

Having been introduced to art and animation as a young child, Deanne found herself drawing incessantly throughout her entire life. Never missing a chance to grow and experiment with new media and tools, she eventually found her passion in character and toy design.

In late 2010 her love for animals and desire to pursue illustration and product design as a career led her to create the first characters inside the Sorbet Jungle universe.

Best known for their instant hit character, Croconana, Sorbet Jungle combines cute animal characters and creative word play into a smile invoking brand that has not only grown into one of the most popular, but also one of the most established companies of its kind around the world.

Beasts Of Balance

Beasts of Balance is a half-digital-half-physical-jenga-meets-pokémon-stack-em-up, and is the first game from London based indie studio Sensible Object. Kickstarted in Feb 2016, shipped in time for Christmas and now invading all your Cons in 2017.

Kerry Dyer

Kerry Dyer is a geek. She reads comics, plays videogames, reads Sci-Fi and sub par supernatural themed novels. But she also has a somewhat successful career in Stop Motion animation, and she is pretty good at sculpting models too.

She’s made Stop Motion Pirates, and Turians from Mass Effect (based on the doodlings of Sophie Powell), she’s sculpted decapitated and simultaneously impaled bronze dragon heads for awards ceremonies, and since moving to London she’s customised the hell out of a fair few vinyl figures.

Cartel.Del - PureSauceInk

A London professional artist working in the video-games industry that has taken his expertise in making characters from the digital to the physical. 2D art, Digital 3D art and Japanese Garage Kit Resin Figures are all inspirations that have inspired him to make a new line of sci-fi re-imaginings of fairytale characters.

IG: pursauceink

Toy Trash

Founded by collectors, for collectors

Ever thought to yourself: The rest of the world get so many independent toy lines, why can't we get them over here in the U.K. THAT'S TRASH !!!!

Or had this conversation to yourself? I'd love have that toy, but the delivery and customs are gonna eat through my wallet. THAT'S TRASH !!!!

You're damn right it is.

Toy Trash is here to bring you the best from the world's top independent designers such as Knights of the Slice and God Beast.

If you live in the UK or EU, order from us and rest easy knowing the price on the store is the only price you'll need to pay to get your grubby mitts on that beautiful toy. No customs or crazy delivery fees.

www.toytrash.co.uk

Lizzie

Lizzie is a deer that is new to the world and have nothing on herself. As her journey goes the things and places staring have a mark on her.

www.facebook.com/deerlizzie/

IG: @deerlizzie

Max Toy Company

Max Toy Company features unique Kaiju collectible toys designed by Mark Nagata and artists and designers from around the world.

www.maxtoyco.com

Miawcomic

With edgy art projects, Miawcomic brings you into a world of non-sense in all its form. Giving life to cute but creepy creatures: it’s all about weird mixes. Her work combines sculpture, art toy design, illustrations and creative writing.

www.miawcomic.com

Concrete and Bone

Legend has it that the strange duo known as Concrete and Bone are powered by enchanted bees and lightning, and legends are never wrong, right? Bringing a unique world of spirits, monsters and the in-between to your grubby little mitts in the form of gashapon, posable figures and figurines!

Lovecats Collectibles

Lovecats Collectibles or LoCo is a family project that began in Santiago-Chile a couple of years ago. A musician, a graphic designer and young self taught artist are in charge of the small workshop. Our characters come to life first on paper and then in resin. We take inspiration from old vintage cartoons to new pop trends.

KaijuMonster

KaijuMonsteR Gallery, founded in 2016 by Martijn de Zwart, is one of the leading high-end art toy and sculpture galleries in Europe with a focus on Japanese produced Sofubi works.

The gallery’s program includes important established artists such as Marmit, Target Earth, Dreamrocket, SkullHeadButt, Siccaluna, Amapro, Blobpus and Karzworks as well as such emerging notable talents as Algangu, KKfactory, Roughneck:7, Awesome Toy and SX-Toy.

KaijuMonsteR gallery continues to develop long-term relationships with artists, manufacturers, private collectors and corporations around the world, placing high end art toys in on display at many international events such as New York Comic Con, ToyConUK London, Dutch Comic Con Utrecht, Amsterdam Comic Con and Art Toy Culture Seoul.

We welcome the opportunity to work with both new and established collectors to help build their high-end art toy collections. In addition to our diverse gallery inventory we are able to consult with clients, guiding them in the sourcing, acquisition and de-accessioning process ranging from Eastern to Western high-end art toys and sculptures.

www.kaijumonster.com/

muffinman

Green Chimera

We are Verity (CreatureCave) and Rachael (RachMakes) and together we created Green Chimera; where we enjoy creating and experimenting with new designs and materials to make a myriad of monsters. Aside from working in the film and advertisement industry as technical artists and makers, we manage to find the time to create critters in the forms of art dolls, resin figures, and plush toys. Green Chimera is our comfy blanket to hide under from the scariness of a world not totally filled up with adorable monsters.

Chief Creations

Paul Devine (Wire.Wolf) and Ian Hancox (Chief Creations) have been long time friends who met through there love of art, They both enjoy creating using inspiration from mythology, anime and pop culture. Ian after collecting his whole life decided 4 years ago to start customising vinyl and is now well known for his impressive patience with his scale by scale or hair by hair customs and baby yoki scratch sculpts. Paul has been sculpting for a little over 5 years after finding sculpting the perfect way to unleash the madness that lived inside his head, he's known for his detailed sculpting style, pop culture customs an strange creatures sculpts. Both live and breath art and create when ever work and life allow it!

IG: ihancox

Dynamite Gallery

Our mission is to change the perception of toys as an art form.

For three years we've been shaking up the Brighton art scene with an exciting mix of contemporary art focusing on different techniques and mediums. From day one we've been championing toys as art, because the term toy doesn’t really cover the level of detail, time and skill in these sculptural pieces.

We will be curating a series of artist shows in the gallery and on the new dynamitegallerytoys.com website, giving toy makers a platform to showcase their art. With very few physical spaces to showcase art toys, we plan to make an impact on the art toy world.

The Hang Gang

The Hang Gang is one of the UK’s premier online designer toy stores. We stock all the major brands such as ThreeA, Coarse, Kidrobot and Playage, etc. We have the largest selection in the UK, ranging from the US based Super7 and Max Toy Co; to brands imported direct from Japan including UAMOU, Chima Group and RxH. Also, if you’re looking for Japanese Kaiju, you’ve come to the right place!

Having collected toys of one form or another for the last 30 years we are proud to be one of the founding partners in ToyCon UK. We can’t wait to see you all in April for one hell of a get together and we have some exciting surprises up our sleeves so stay tuned!

Martian Toys

IF space-faring intelligent aliens are out there, how do you think they would first make contact?

You think they will plop down a mothership next to the local Walmart? Maybe set a saucer on the Apple Glass Cube on 5th Ave? Or will a little green dude walk into Starbucks, say, “Greetings Earthling!” and proceed to order a Pumpkin Spiced Latte!? — don’t be silly.

It will probably be far more innocuous, maybe a virus or a spore that slowly takes over… Perhaps the first will come in the form of a vinyl toy— it’s the perfect plan… Irresistible and totally unassuming…

Like an alien takeover, our site looks like business as usual… Touma, Kozik, Chueh, blind boxes, Funko, DIY toys, etc. Comforting and familiar…Well, like our future alien masters, give us time to reveal all… We have some secrets, surprises, possibly stolen alien technology…

Keep a close watch. Check back often. Bookmark us. Be one of the first to join our side and buy something — We dare you. Soon what you might see may change your whole world view. Who are the real toys? And exactly who is collecting whom?

www.martiantoys.com

Some Strange Things

SomeStrangeThings is a Toy Art studio founded in 2014 by Marcos Lorenzo and based in Barcelona, Spain.

Here is where I produce small series and commissioned pieces of high quality hand crafted design Toys, and other strange stuff based on my original designs.

About me, Marcos Lorenzo (Santiago de Compostela, Spain, 1973), I'm a self-taught sculptor, illustrator and Toy designer, as well as engineer and industrial designer.

Cave Critters

Gemma grew up with a love of Henson films in particular Labyrinth and The Dark Crystal, also being an avid bookworm she has gained a very active imagination, after being bought an art doll for a Christmas present one year she turned imagination to creating critters. Working in a variety of styles and materials ranging from sculpting clay, polymer clay, and resin, to faux furs, faux suede and various painting forms she has been able to create a number of different critters in a short few years of making art dolls; she has many, many more designs on paper and in the dark recesses of her mind just waiting to created.

Sergey Safonov

Based in Moscow, Russia Sergey Safonov sees toys as a tool of communication — “I consider myself a character designer, and I tell stories with them,” says Sergey. “Toys are tools for telling stories and producing toys should encourage others to tell their own.”

Bubbafroux

Fhloston Paradise Collectibles

Fhloston Paradise was born from my own deep routed passion for science fiction and collectibles. From the age of 5 when I first laid my hands on a vintage 1977 Kenner Darth Vader, I have had an affinity with tiny pieces of plastic.

I have dedicated the last 30 years of my life to collecting, culminating in the co-founding of Reaction Figure Fans (Facebook's largest Reaction Figure Forum) in 2013 and the penning of my first book: The Unofficial Guide To Reaction Figures, due for release later this year.

I am often asked 'what's your focus?' I respond by saying that I think the word 'focus' is a dirty one, as over the years I have adopted the stance 'if I like it, I'm buying it', its going to happen anyway so why fight it!

Fhloston Paradise is the realization of dream, not only to be my own boss, but to to do what so many crave for, that is to turn my hobby into my job.

It is my goal to strip away all the corporate goings on you get when you deal with the major retailers and focus (there is that word again!) on providing quality collectibles and memorabilia for everyone from the casual fan right through to the die hard collector and everyone in between.

Fhloston Paradise has a simple moto, one that we live by, one that keeps us true and although it might be simple, we think it works.......

Fhloston Paradise, Run By A Collector, For Collectors.

www.fpcollectibles.com

Crazymoosk

My inspiration comes from everyday life and people watching. I like to create characters with body expression, my latest characters I call Bounding babes and Selfie queens. I try hard not to over complicate my work and still be able to project personality.